Lonesome Diamonds
by Sumomo San
Summary: Sequel to Mowatte Mabase. What is to become of Naota and Ninamori's relationship? Can they even discover and admit their feelings enough to be friends? Is fate doomed to be controlled by denial?
1. Bitter

Lonesome Diamonds

Chapter 1: Bitter

Disclaimer: I don't own FLCL or the characters, you know that, but the plot is mine.

Author's note: This leaves off where Mowatte Mabase chapter 8 ends. If you haven't read it I reccomend you read at least chapter 8 to give you a small introduction to what is going on. The characters may act a bit 'OOC' but that is because they are changing, they are now in Middle School, aka older. The story reads from different view points throughout the story but it should be easy to tell who is the narrator unless I meant for it not to be. The title may change as I coudn't think of anything better at the time of submitting.

Have fun, please review. Sumomo-san

* * *

My stomach feels strange.

Sitting here, outside in the hot August sun. The metal chair beneath me hardly relaxing, my starchy longsleeved uniform is far comfortable either.

Why can't I keep my eyes off of Ninamori?

She sits with her hands in her lap, her eyes study the principal of our new school as he gives his longwinded speech. Her raven hair glints purple as the sun reflects off her braids. Messy bangs gently caress her forehead, the tips brushing her eyebrows as a muggy breeze rolls through.

Why did I never notice how pretty she was before?

Maybe I had but I never admitted it to myself. I had always been so selfish, so idiotic. All I could ever think of was my needs and what was good for me... even if it didn't always turn out to be good for me in the end. Haruko was an impulse, something I vowed to put behind me along with my childish ways. Maybe... Ninamori was what would be good for me? But... could I ever be good for her?

Breaking my trance, someone kicks the back of my chair.

I jump up and sit up ramrod straight. Was I staring too intently? Did someone notice? My heart pounds. I dare to glance behind me and see Manabe Gaku, my friend from gradeschool resting his feet on the back of my seat. Behind his glasses I can't tell what he's looking at, but he's staring fixedly at something. As I whip my head back around before our eyes can meet, I force myself to focus. I see the principal's mouth moving but all I can hear is Eri's rythmic breathing.

I looked at my feet and my eyes started to wander back to Ninamori. They traveled up her delicately crossed legs to her clasped hands. I found myself wanting to clutch that hand, and even if my mind screams no my arm starts to slowly move towards hers. I shove my hands in my pockets and scold myself mentally. What the hell! What is going on with me? As I remembered her touch, the few fleeting moments I had chanced to be near her, I found myself wanting her warmth, her soft scent, her musical laughter to be with me always. Despite all logic I let myself cherish that feeling, and cling on to my tarnished hopes, if only for a minute.

* * *

As Naota's soft hand released mine my heart skipped a beat. I was so embarassed about running into him. After all, I was over him. We were just friends, and that's all we'd ever be... right?

Why was he being nice to me now?

Was he finally... noticing me?

I shook my head and remembered that I'd decided I could never be close to him. He was too unpredictable and I was too mature. He could pick and choose his friends while I had to force myself into popularity... even if I'd given that up by now. He was engaging, he was dangerous, he was desirable. He...

He was sour and I was... bland.

Feeling myself blushing and not able to tear my eyes off his perfect face, he chatted idley at me. I was still too flustered and gave a few embarassed nods and scattered 2-word responses. Why did I have to freeze up like this now! I was over him! This was my chance to rebound those ties, repair the friendship back to how it used to, and always had been.

But if it always had been the same way, why was I so crazy about him in the first place?

* * *


	2. Thirst

Lonesome Diamonds 

Chapter 2: Thirst

Disclaimer: I still don't own those pesky characters from FLCL, but the plot is mine

Author's note: This is sort of a short chapter. Sorry. I just couldn't find a good way to make it keep flowing while not breaking up zee chapter. Bigger one next time, I swear. This is from Ninamori's point of view. Enjoy and please review as always, reviews help in forcing me to write more chapters.

* * *

It was an addictive sourness that pierced through my naive mind. 

A kind of opposite that begged to be controlled, that promised to make you feel whole, but never looked you in the eye.

Why I even was attracted to that kind of aura was an enigma in itself. I had never even questioned it until now, and even at this point I was doubtful there was an answer. Pegged it off as 'animal magnetism.'

Suddenly those thoughts and feelings I had shoved discreetly into the back of my mind, willing them to never rise again, were struggling free. I couldn't find the composure to force them back from where they came from. Where exactly did they belong?

* * *

Contemplating this, the girl slowly lifted her arm into the air above her. The lush grass underneath her was cool and green and the sky above the clearest blue; arguably perfect. Her dark eyes ran aimlessly over the patterns etched into the palm of her hand. 'Lifeline, long. Loveline, short. She repeated in her head, recalling the palm reading article in the shallow teen magazine she flipped through on a lazy day such as this. 

She had looked in disgust at a particular page whose flashy bold text questioned "Is he the one for you? Stud or dud; This quiz tells all!" It doesn't tell anything! What could a superficial publication tell you about your relationship that you didn't already know? She thought in utter revulsion. As she eyed the questions a burst of wistful bleakness fell over her and hazed her thoughts.

Before she knew it she had burst into tears for no reason. This is ridculous! Throwing the magazine on the ground, she knew these tears were unneccessary but that didn't stop them from falling, useless and unjustified.

Bored of such immobile activity, and unwilling to submerge herself into such memories, she sat up and began to absent mindedly braid her silky violet lockes. Whenever her mind struck a blissful blank, it would instantly be flooded with fresh conundrums, thus far all unanswered. Dazed. Confused. Lost. She sighed and welcomed the familiar dizzying side effects that came with this unsure emotion.

* * *


	3. Barren

Lonesome Diamonds

Chapter 3: Barren

Disclaimer: I still haven't gotten the rights to the FLCL characters (darnit), but the plot is mine.

Author's note: I wrote this quite a few months ago but am only getting around to posting it now for 2 reasons: I plan on writing more starting now, and I didn't feel any urge/rush to do so earlier because this story gets to few hits. Sorry! But please start reading because I promise there WILL be more soon. Enjoy and please review as always.

* * *

Ninamori buried her face into the starchy pillow. Living with her mother wasn't exactly comfortable; a stuffy and strict atmosphere, the pair practical strangers. Not that she could say she missed her father. Ex-noveau riche princess, she did miss the luxury, in a guilty way, but could do without the scandals. Another sigh escaped from her lips as the girl turned over onto her stomach. Today, Naota blushed when I spoke to him. Am I embarassing? Exhaling slowly, the scene replayed in her head.

* * *

After school, Ninamori had been looking for Naota. They usually had walked to and from school together, but lately he had been straggling behind. She tramped around the school searching for him until she found herself in the schools courtyard. A broken crumbling concrete bench, weeds choking out any other plantlife that dared try and grow there ; How relaxing she thought sarcastically. 

She crossed through this garbage littered wasteland. When she came upon the wall leading off school grounds she saw Naota. Naota's back, rather. In front of him stood two of their classmates, she could tell from their uniforms, but from that spot couldn't make out who they were. As soon as she started to approach both abruptly turned on their heels and made a quick exit.

"N...Naota...kun?"

The tall black haired figure turned his head in response to the quiet voice. Upon recognizing Eiri, his head whipped back to its former position, and after a pause, he crooked his neck back into a skyward gaze.

"Yeah?"

Disregarding the current situation Ninamori's eyes flicked upon his face long enough to see his blush. Suddenly she felt somewhat ashamed for no apparent reason, and decided it would be too blunt to simply ask his escort to her house.

As she mulled over her next action, Naota turned to face her. He lifted his hand and touched her face, titlting his own slightly to the right. His soft lips brushed past Ninamori's, and as he moved in to kiss her--

* * *

Ninamori fell back into reality with a loud thud.

* * *


	4. Selfish Love

Lonesome Diamonds

Chapter 4: Selfish Love

I'm still battling the lawsuit over FLCL character ownership whilst holding tight the rights to the plot.

This is from Naota's point of view and takes place before the flashback of chapter 3.  
I know my chapters are annoyingly short, but thats just how I do.

* * *

Math assignment.  
Blank stare.  
Tap tap.  
Tangent.  
Tangent.  
Tap.  
What the crap is a tangent anyway?  
Calculator.  
Tap.  
Why can't we just leave the math up to calculators?  
Tangent.  
Tangent.  
Eiri.  
No!  
Exhale.  
Tangent.  
Tap tap.  
Answer the question.  
I need to answer the question.  
Tap tap.  
I hate math.  
Focus. Focus!  
Tap tap tap tap.  
Headache.  
Tangent, Eiri Eiri.  
Crack. 

The pencil snaps in half as it hits against the edge of the table. One half in my hand, the other sails backwards over my shoulder, narrowly missing the kid behind me before rolling 10 feet across the floor. I apologize quietly, and immediately jump up to retrieve it, but as I am already halfway across the room I realize there's no point in it.

There's no point in taking this time and effort to pick something up just because it fell, if it's already broken. Both halves are useless if they're apart. I put too much pressure on it, I guess the strain over time did it, I didn't even realize what I was doing, but it's ruined now, I ruined it; I ruin everything eventually. There's no way I can piece this mess back together. I don't need a broken pencil... and Eiri doesn't need a pathetic broken idiot chasing after her.

Well, I definitely hate math. And not much can be said for flimsy pencils either.

* * *

The whole day went that way. 

Stuck on Ninamori, I mean; That was the only pencil fatality.

We only have one period class together and I breathe a sigh of relief and thank god for that. It's not that I don't like her, no, it's quite the opposite. Even when she's not here, even when it's totally irrelevant she plagues my mind. And if she does so happen to be around... it's even worse. I can't help but gawk. I know its awful, but I'm shameless. Someone's going to catch me, someone is going to tell her, and then she's going to avoid me. I know it, I just know it, isn't that always the way?

Maybe it would be better. If she knew. There's no way she could return any feelings for me, I don't want her to, I don't deserve it, she'd get hurt, I'm an idiot. Why am I even thinking this far ahead? Why, all of a sudden, why did I fall so fast? I can't explain it, and no matter what I'm trying I can't deny it. It's some sort of sadistic force of nature.

This is what I want, and, I'm convinced, need.  
She fits so perfectly into every aspect of my life.  
But for her it would be so wrong, so impossible.  
She completes me. I burden her.  
She has no use for a parasite like me.  
So how do I control this greed before it takes a toll on the one I love?

* * *


End file.
